Friday, September 27, 2013

Welcome back, metab!

After almost 9 months of real dedication to getting healthier and leaner I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Well, maybe not the end... because that would mean I plan on stopping at the end. Rather, I've started seeing REAL results. I think I'm pretty average size-wise, and I didn't need to lose weight. Weight loss was a byproduct of changing my lifestyle a little. 

So here are the basics of what I did:
  • I made more of a commitment to exercise. I set a goal to go 3 times each week, so if I go 4 its a total bonus. Additionally, I try to generally be a little more active by walking to school if I cant get to the gym or walking to the grocery store.
  • I controlled what I ate. In Korea, teachers and students all eat the same food. If I didn't like it- I had to eat it anyway... but then I would go search for something to fill the "lunch hole" that was left from my NOT having enjoyed my meal. I began checking the menu and only eating in the caf on the days where I like the meal, and I bring lunch on the other days. I have to deal with people thinking I'm on some crazy diet, but I suppose that's not so bad.
  • I learned how to say "no." You might think that going into Baskin Robins with friends and NOT getting ice cream would be torturous... but, oddly, it really wasn't. If I didn't want/crave it, I wouldn't eat it. If I want ice cream, I'll get ice cream.... if I don't want ice cream and just want to hang out, I have the willpower to go in and not splurge needlessly.
  • I learned when my body is telling me its full.
  • I learned when I actually want something, versus just mindlessly going for it.
  • I have much better control over what I'm eating and when I'm eating it. Snacks are veg and fruit... sometimes crackers with a little cheese if I want it. I try to balance meals when I can, and just make sure if a meal isn't balanced, whatever it lacked is made up for in snackage.
  • Research. I look up facts and statistics about foods and the impact they have on your body. Sugar is scary.
What were the results?

This all started sometime around the end of January this year. I've been pretty consistent in my exercise, good food choices, and "food science" study. I started noticing subtle changes sometime around the beginning of the summer-- so maybe late May or early June. I didn't see anything too dramatic, but after a few months of not seeing any real results, it was nice to notice a visible change. Sometime in the past week or 2 I've really noticed a difference in how I look. I was walking around my apartment in my underwear and caught a glimpse of myself and was like "huh... I totally look trimmer."

I think I've awoken the inner beast that is my metabolism. I think months of hard work at the gym and the lifestyle change from earlier in the year, have finally paid off in a BIG way.

This is huge. I'll be able to worry about 5% less about what I'm eating. I won't need to be as strict with my control as I was before-- BUT I doubt that I will change anything dietary, because I dont really want/need/crave the same foods I did before. Don't get me wrong-- I still love bagels and pizza, but because my metab is back in town, I can buy a package of bagels and not have the last 2 go bad because I want to "space out eating refined carbs."

WINNING.

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